It’s 2016. Let’s stop being an industry where girls jump out of birthday cakes

Is it worth mentioning that on the 21.mcsaatchi.com.au website I tried randomly viewing 5 different videos – 4 of them didn’t show due to Youtube settings – nice celebration of your work…

They have bags on their heads… bags!!

No,, no thats fine, on your way advertising industry, nothing to see here, nothing out of the ordinary.

Thanks for pointing out that these things are still happening in the industry – and for taking a strong position against it. Mumbrella, thank you.

Wow imagine being one of the female staff at the event – how humiliating. I’m not sure what’s worse, that M&C Saatchi thought this was a good idea, or that no one spoke up against it.

This is a #prfail made worse by the fact they own a PR agency – headed by a woman. If only her opinion had been sought.

Have you gone quite mad Mumbrella?

Burlesque is a wonderful performance art. And there were all sorts of men and women performers, dancers and acrobats there. The crowd I was standing with loved it.

Why is there no name to this article? Was this the collective opinion of all the Mumbrella staff there? Seriously? If so I think you all need a Bex and a lie down.

Note to M&C Saatchi: Thank you for 21 years of the BEST industry parties!

Interesting comment, “Our party was a celebration of 21 years of creativity” … well a burleque party is about 20 years old in creativity. Was the party planner like a 60 year old still reminicent about the fun times he/she had in Oxford street? In case you didn’t notice the Government has pretty much closed that down … maybe M&C could support Mardi Gras and bring back the gay to Sydney. They’d love you to take their rights back 20 years too.

Bravo, Mumbrella!

This stuff doesn’t even make me angry anymore, just depressed.

Agencies need to ask themselves “Would my clients have this at their annual party?” Can you picture this at a Commbank event? If the answer is no you need to rethink your “creative”.

Being in advertising doesn’t mean you get to write your own rules on what’s acceptable in the workplace.

How fabulous for M&C to be celebrating such success. This is a magical moment for all those involved in creating that over the 21 years. But I agree, wrong time, wrong place. With the line up of talent for the evening you have to ask, was it really necessary? Would the night have been any less fun with a little more though?
Sadly, the real irony is that for some women there is a chance they can end up as some form of ‘bag lady’ in their lifetime. Just look at the acting and media industries. It is real, we just choose to ignore it.

Get invited to someone’s party and then bag it out the next day. Classy.

So ad agencies still exist? Wow!

Yes exactly. Where is the equity when no men are allowed or invited to jump out of the cake? When will men ever be giver their fair share of the cake?

This goes beyond sexism, it’s outright misogyny.

Thanks for printing Tom McFarlane’s response. I know I always feel better when people excuse their own bad behaviour by saying how much they admire the people they’re offending. It was definitely a, “Some of my best friends are . . . ” statement.

For the record, the next time anyone in ANY industry thinks it’s entertaining to see women in lingerie and a bag over their head, they should also be thinking about crafting a public apology to go hand-in-hand with their resignation letter.

Anonymous, classic! Yep, this is why ad agencies nearly don’t exist anymore

Did you hear about the Bulimia party ?
That’s where the cake jumps out of the girl.

Burlesque has been reinvented- these groups perform at art venues etc. It is satirical. Brilliant costuming and all a bit tongue in cheek. The performers are proud of their art form. In fact we contracted some of these groups for a spot at an inner city school parent fund raiser a few years ago ! But I have to say Bag Ladies- fail to see the humour or satire.

The industry is full of dicks so surely some male strippers would have been more fitting?

What a way to ruin what should have been a celebration of one of advertisings greatest agencies. Typical small minded male egotistical showmanship thats back fired yet again. Disappointing to say the very least.

I am reminded of a large creative agency celebrating a new client win by inviting their large marketing department over for drinks, as female Brazilian dancers wearing g-strings and not much else gyrated around them in celebration.

I was standing behind (hiding behind) a senior female client and overheard her say to a colleague “Are they kidding? And I guess we’re paying for this crap now.”

Oh and btw that was about 20 years ago. Inappropriate then, inappropriate now.

No doubt ‘cool girls’ who don’t want to rock the boat will say it was all just a bit of fun. But I suggest you ask your senior female clients in conservative industries how they feel about it to get a gauge on what happens in the real world (i.e. outside of the advertising bubble dominated by white men suffering from Peter Pan syndrome).

I’m a woman who works at M&C and the party rocked. So sad the Australian tradition of cutting down tall poppies has been an excuse for Mumbrella to sensationalize something out of nothing. The agency rightfully celebrated it’s successes and made clear it’s intentions to continue it’s success over the next 21 years. It was a joint client/ agency function and the clients loved it. Clearly a slow news day for the industry if that’s the best Mumbrella can fabricate. Happy Birthday M&C.

It’s funny how when it comes to entertainment, the advertising industry has no problem giving lots of women jobs (provided they are half naked and have bags on their heads). They just have problems giving women senior jobs. No doubt I’ll be inundated by (some, but I note not all) men pointing out that jobs are awarded on merit. so statistically women have far more merit it seems jumping out of cakes.

How can this even be happening in 2016 and M&C Saatchi don’t even get how this is inappropriate. Unbelievable.

Good on you Mumbrella for standing up to this.

Fair enough Tim @ Mumbrella

As a side note, would you mind altering your headline to refer to a woman coming out of the cake?

She most certainly wasn’t a girl.

Yeah not cool at all.

Again Mumbrella demonstrates how real journalism is done.
No fear, no favour.
Congrats.

Wait till Cindy finds out

M&C Saatchi is a name that is synonymous with everything that is different and thought provoking.

The company wouldn’t be where it is without being edgy and challenging.

We critique a company for putting on a show of equally scantily clad females AND MALES however these events happen every week in Sydney.

Pacha at the Ivy was flaunting bare skin at every glance every Saturday. Hundreds of thousands of people pay money to watch performers like Mylie Cyrus, Katie Perry, Lady Gaga to flaunt their wares.

Women are beautiful. It is not a crime to revel in this and appreciate it. If it was a fashion show no one would have made a comment because it is art. Is Saatchi not the embodiment of what advertising stands for? Is not what they do a form of art?

Anything less than slightly shocking and entertaining wouldn’t be in line with who they are.

Is it controversial – maybe
Is it entertaining – absolutely
Did it get you talking about it….

There are plenty of excellent male burlesque performers around Sydney – why not get them jumping out of baked treats?

This event just sounds tacky and not in line with current community expectations.

M&C Saatchi is edgy and challenging? Since when?

When a name partner makes news for publicly choking his wife, are you really that surprised that the trickle down culture to the staff includes not understanding putting a bag on a woman’s head and having her dance in her undies may not be cool?

Yes, Burlesque has had a revival. An empowerment driven, pro-sex revival that would be hard pressed to justify the bagging of women’s faces.

What a story.

‘Mumbrella offended by party. Six hundred others had a wonderful time.’

Way to fuck over an agency on its 21st birthday.

Yellow journalism at its finest. Well done Mumbrella for trying to make something out of nothing to push your own agenda.

Ad for deodorant? Make it sexy! Ad for car service business? Make it sexy! Ad for mens shoes? Make it sexy! Industry party? Make it sexy!!!! Who says Australian advertising has no new ideas?

This party sums up how women are viewed by agencies.

Is it any wonder that women struggle to gain senior roles in agencies?

Interesting views in this clip from a woman who is Exec Creative Director M&C London.
Skip to 6:38 for her views on women in advertising

https://youtu.be/OeKF9rXEW-A

I wonder what her view of the party would be?

Ha ha, it’s these agencies that are still hanging on the to the ‘Madmen’ image…sad old men

Didn’t you publish this?https://staging.mumbrella.com.au/magic-mike-opens-strongly-but-dark-knight-rises-stays-top-of-box-office-106975

As a male I find it extremely degrading to be exposed to images of half naked men on a industry blog.

Talk about courting controversy to further your own gain Alex and Mumbrella team.

Ps. I don’t work at M&C and agree with comments earlier re. Tall poppies

Geez! Tough crowd Mumbrella.

No mention of securing international DJ Norman J MBE or Australian legend Deni Hines. The cake was a bit of fun and tongue in cheek.

Briana is one of the most empowered women I know (like myself Ill add!) The ‘bag ladies’ was a satire on women becoming obsessed with fashion brands and how they then can consume you. Hence the bag ending up on their head so they can’t see straight (pretty obvious I thought).

oh… I just woke from a bad dream. It was 1985 and I worked in Advertising. All the account managers are blonde <30yr old females.. and there are strippers at our staff parties.

oh.. hang on…

Mumbrella, is this a story of an advertising agency and it’s outdated views of women or an editorial team and it’s outdated views on burlesque? It wasn’t a group old madmen standing around ogling young dancers, it was a group of men, women, agency, clients and suppliers watching dancers preform. Why are you looking to turn it into something it wasn’t. I know it’s your job to find the sensational in everything, like any good gutter tabloid. Get your minds out of the gutter move on.

You’d like to think it’s a satire on the Advertising industry, sexy girls with bags on their heads? Great to see Mumbrella opening this debate. Was Jane Caro attending?? Love to hear her thoughts on this!

This is so embarrassing for our industry. I’m sad to see that misogyny is still alive and well.

What a relief to see the majority of comments in your favour Mumbrella. And I agree with so many of the commentators. It most certainly is not shocking, cutting edge or controversial. That’s what’s so depressing. Thank you for progressing the conversation.

I was at the party last night and I definitely saw women wearing low cut dresses that revealed the top half of their breasts.

Some blatantly revealed bare ankles.

And the couple I saw at the bar kissing should be absolutely ashamed of themselves.

When will Australia realise that sexuality is dirty and disgusting?

Hats off to Mumbrella for sticking up for good old fashioned 1912 values.

And the sooner women are covered the better.

I work for M&C and love the place. But I think this article is bang on. Instead of defending that this sort of thing is just being “misinterpreted”, we should just chuck out this old school bullshit entirely and go for entertainment that, oh I don’t know, doesn’t come close to objectifying women.

I am a 61 year young woman and I certainly see this as pure entertainment and very cleverly done too. Do you “Mumbrella” or whatever you call yourself, not see that you are the person encouraging sexism by not appreciating the artistic value of these acts.
I would imagine the solution is to not invite negative, critical, egotistical, free loading journalists to these events – (or did your high morality not allow you to eat or drink at the party) ? Those who make their living by critiquing others are to be pitied not quoted as guardians of our moral code! It would be a more positive sign of an enlightening age to do away with this redundant occupation.

Wow, this sort of thing would never happen at a News Corp party. I’m actually serious — it wouldn’t.

Brilliant; well done Tim and the team for raising this issue – the same week that the AFR wrote about ANZ staff hiring strippers, and about two years after many CEOs in corporate Australia started calling for a new approach to gender balance… although what is the gender ratio in the Mumbrella editorial team again? Room for improvement there perhaps?

Unbelievable. I actually can’t believe this happened. Yes, burlesque is an artform. Yes, it’s creative and beautiful. No, having semi-naked women at a work event in an industry that already struggles with gender bias and issues in not appropriate. At all. Suggest the head honchos at M&C google ‘the male gaze’ and ‘unconscious bias’.

Wow. Just wow.

Hey Sam,

briliant job of deranged false equivocation.

You’re only one sentence away from claiming being against rape is prudish.

Makes sense you work for em tho.

Seeing it myself and the tragic attendees was the highlight of the evening.
The comment ‘do agencies still exist’: classic, and I ask the same question. While there is becoming less and less room for agencies in the market the limited talent is fueled by what can only be described as desperate middle aged men (and I’m sure women) in the bathroom doing as expected because their creative and any ounce of once talent is depleted. And then the desperates went to arq.. No class no talent no idea. Overhaul the industry

Those poor women. Those poor victims. Those tragically helpless females. Those poor slaves to an illegal trade. I’m outraged that in this day and age, women still have zero agency of their own. What can we do to protect them like the children they clearly must be? And to think, they were roped into doing this for free. Someone ought to crack down on this illegal activity. Won’t somebody please think of the fairer sex?

Thank you to Mumbrella for calling them out on this. The fact some of those commenting seem to think this was appropriate for a professional event says it all really. It is depressing that an industry that speaks of being innovate and edgy still has to cast women as just skin, rather than talented, professional and valued peers. They might try and cast this as a party, but it wasn’t a get together of friends: it was a work function.

You attack. Then you qualify.
Pussyy.

‘Can’ and will close our accounts.

I encourage all to do the same and start informing their clients we expect better of gown adults.

Hey Sam, I hope you were at the event as a member of the waitstaff, because I fear for the industry if that was your interpretation of this article.

PSA in a porno.
Waky waky!

Look kids, the only time it’s acceptable to wear a bag on your head and dance around half naked is in a gay bar after the client and PR people are tucked up in bed! Seriously, that’s just common sense if you’re into tasteless misogyny as entertainment.

Won’t somebody please think of the children?!!

Hey Tim
If you get a moment you should check out the Blanc De Blanc show that’s bringing the House down, the Opera House that is as one of the hit acts of the Sydney Festival. http://www.sydneyoperahouse.co.....blanc.aspx It’s burlesque. Its art but I suppose we needn’t let the facts get in the way of click bait.

yes please, let’s think of the children…

No doubt all those defending this knuckle dragging behaviour are totally cool with imagining their own kid’s faces popping out of cake and stripping.

The fact they didn’t even cover themselves by having a dude pop out and wave his dick around is what you’d expect from an agency with no imagination.

I am a pole and burlesque performer and you know what we think of this kind of shows, great! I’ve been hired and d I can show my art and my creativity and even better get oaid for it. Stop making us the victims! If it a big party and and they hire a show well great, the fact that you are so close minded that you think Burlesque sgow

but burlesque is “empowering” n that

I think you’ve just got your last invite to an M&C party.

It was a burlesque party? I thought it was an Under Siege party!

No wonder everyone kept thinking i was just the cook.

Good on you Mumbrella. Why does anyone (man or woman) need to be half naked to qualify as good entertainment? As for the bags on their heads, that makes me sick to the pit of my stomach.
P.S And yes Gezza it’s actually perfectly acceptable for journalists or anyone else to accept an invitation to a party and then ‘bag it out’ if what happens there is just plain wrong.

>Insert pic of Michael Jackson eating popcorn<

This is so good 🙂

Mumbrella,

If this is all you have to write about then news in the industry must be slow. I now understand why Mumbrella is continually losing its credibility and respect.

Enjoy your weekend Alex, hope its more exciting than your job.

As one of the ‘Bag Ladies’ performing that evening I am enraged by your small-minded, bias opinion of the entertainment last night. If you had viewed the performance in its entirety you would have seen topless male dancers performing a routine right behind you the moment we walked off stage. Or is that something you chose to leave out in order to highlight your point? If you bothered to fact check you would have discovered Russall Beattie and Tasia, the creators of the work, used this piece as a comment on consumerism. Not that it would make much difference to you as you clearly are not interested in how the arts are used to explore ideas and opinions and merely want something safe and pleasant to watch for light hearted entertainment. Perhaps you should stick to the Australian Ballet or a nice cover band. Why is it beautiful to see a woman’s form come to life by Botticelli yet when art and entertainment collide it becomes sordid, distasteful and sexist? Does the venue and audience dictates this? If that’s the case we can do without you viewing our art. Thanks. What double standards we have.

Wow Esther I hope female creatives take themselves off your books.

‘I’m not sexist but ….’ sounds familiar?
This is just so repulsive, boring, not sexy, misogynistic, lame, unimaginative and so horribly indicative of the ad industry, here, in Australia. BTW this setting is definitely NOT Burlesque, an art form that doesn’t have performers wearing LV bags on their heads. This just stinks of such try hard and a pathetic need to be anything but innovative or edgy and to use ‘Burlesque’ as a sorry excuse. M&C sounds like a tired, old, irrelevant, uncle who thinks it’s funny to show their young nephews titty mags!
Thanks Mumbrella for bringing this to everybody’s attention.

Deni Hines and Norman Jay. Was it a celebration of the late 90s. Should have had Oakenfold play whilst you were at it.

Put a bag on a woman’s head. Because clearly her head is irrelevant. It’s her ability to showcase, through striptease and fondant, that sexist creative hubris is the pinnacle of value. Bravo on letting the work take center stage. Bravo.

There are better, more appropriate ways of doing Burlesque. Bad excuse. Time to take a look at the industry.

I don’t think we’re talking about ….

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Di5B1TiApDo

The art form response doesn’t cut it when the context is factored in. Stop standing in defiance of the advertising industry’s history of sexism dressed up as sexy. Male claims of innocence are now crimes of ignorance. Guilty as charged Lets just be better without the bullshit debates.

What a desperate attempt to crowbar a serious industry issue – gender equality – into a cheap, clickbait piece about an industry event. All this does is trivialise the problem, not offer anything positive or progressive to address it.
Anyone reading this clickbait would wrongfully get the impression the whole event was a misogynist’s playground. It wasn’t. There were professional burlesque female performers and male dance performers, all half naked. The headline performers were Deni Hines and famous London DJ Norman Jay, I wonder if Dr Mumbo has heard of them?
Also love the hypocrisy of men telling women what they should think about burlesque. Maybe Mumbrella should promote women into senior editorial roles to sense check its claims or at least ask women present for their views about the event, rather than sitting on their high horse.

Way to go perpetuating a toxic outrage culture that aims to strangle the fun out of anything and everything in this country. There is nothing degrading about burlesque and fans of the scene mainly comprise of women who view it as an art form. If an attractive woman performing makes you uncomfortable, stay at home. You won’t be missed.

I know I am a bit late to the thread, but would anyone care to wager if this article receives more comments than the one about vegans?

Sorry Mumbrella, but did i miss it because i still don’t understand who you are trying to stand up for…? TWO women in the agency already spoke up about the issue and said they are perfectly fine with it so this just seems like a huge whinge to me ….

Thank you for your support Missy Bigglesworth

… they’d like their ad agency back.

This is a joke. I don’t work directly in the Ad Agency world, but in a very closely related Agency medium, and I’m just embarrassed for you, M&S.

Your supposed to be a hive of creativity, yet you stoop so low for your own entertainment as to have naked women dance for you with bags on their heads? Bloody hell. Were you stuffing $5 bills down her cleavage and smacking her on her bum as well?

I mean, it’s not even like there is any attempt at some kind of contrived hidden meaning behind it all – it’s simply just for viewing “pleasure”. Odd.

Thanks yes girls we know u like to get paid well by takin ur pants off for bankers and account directors and calling it art. Its our wives mums sisters and daughters who dont have the luxury of telling themeves horshit like that im thinking of.

@One of the bag ladies

If the work was a comment on consumerism, what was it doing at a party for an advertising agency? Guess what the purpose of ad agencies is?

This whole thing is weird and poorly thought through.

So let’s get this into perspective.

Mumbrella are invited to a party by an agency.

Not to critique it, but to enjoy it – as friends of the agency.

– As were representatives of the other advertising publications.

As far as I can tell, there have been no complaints about the party by anyone other than the Mumbrella guests.

In fact, if emails could be produced that verify the level of outrage that the article suggests – Mumbrella might have a point. But there aren’t any. And none of the other publications and websites mention anything other than what a great time was had by all.

So this is, essentially, a rather mean spirited and unpleasant article complete with ‘sixty minutes’ style hidden camera footage designed to outrage its anonymous base – and hats off, job done. M&C staff are now waking up to Daily Mail style outrage as opposed to a simple news story about a party that over 600 people absolutely loved – and that included numerous clients, most of whom are female.

I’m sure Mumbrella would like to see themselves as brave journalistic crusaders for the ‘big stories,’ but when all’s said and done, they were invited to a party and then shat all over it the next morning. Classy stuff.

If a professional burlesque dancer performing in front of a predominantly female crowd (and there were many male dancers there too) can provoke this level of outrage in the Mumbrella offices – then their clickbait reputation is nearly complete.

You lost many friends today Mumbrella.

This ‘celebration’ was SOOOO un-Australian!

Normally the bags are put on the dance-floor and the gals dance around them.

It’s about context people!

Burlesque and stripping etc. can be fine in the right context.

In a company situation it is not.

Simple.

Bravo to Mumbrella – this is an important issue that needs to be discussed.

How is it sexist if the woman agreed to do it and was paid well to do it? Decrying it is like saying burlesque dancers are sexist, even though dancers have made it an art-form and career out of their own volition.

It’s this kind of nanny state rubbish that sees so much art and commerce head overseas

Next people won’t be able to buy more than two drinks or get back into a venue after 1am

Oh, wait

Worse than the sexism part is the complete lack of imagination and creativity on display. Much like the highly overrated agency’s work I might add.

Massive props to Mumbrella for calling it out despite having been invited to the event as guests. It shows the kind of integrity and professionalism our industry sorely lacks.

And the once respected Mumbrella message board now allows mudslinging comments from agency rivals.

Puritanical article followed by bile spewing over-reaction from an elderly readership. Yup. That’s the Daily Mail approach.

Looking forward to next year’s Mumbrella Approved Burqa Ball.

Burlesque has its place in the entertainment industry and the women who partake should be respected for their art and showmanship. Burlesque performances aren’t sexist.

Burlesque isn’t appropriate in the work environment. Call it too PC or not respecting the art, but there is plenty of occasions for it to be enjoyed, a work party is not one of them.

For those who don’t seem to get it – Would you get your mother, wife or daughter a cake with a burlesque dancer in it for their birthday?

While the entertainment sounds ill conceived at best, the concept of Burlesque as entertainment shouldn’t be the issue. There is a heightened focus on the Sausage Factory that is ad land and that should have been a consideration when considering your entertainment and the extraordinary request to throw a bag over the heads of the scantily dressed meat, sorry, entertainers. How f’ing degrading. I wonder if M&C would rock up to a pitch with a bag over their heads and find it appropriate if a client requested it? Get your heads out of your arses and treat women the way you would expect people to treat your mothers or your daughters… With a bit of respect.

I too am a female who works at the agency. It’s a shame mumbrella weren’t privy to the company meeting earlier that day. I watched a team of really talented people deliver a really inspiring presentation acknowledging the past and embracing the opportunities that we as an agency are exploring to take us into the future. The insights of the current world environment and it’s cultural trends were spot on. I’ve recently seen burlesque in London, Tokyo and New York and thankfully it was seen as what it is… Entertainment. Grow up mumbrella. If your accusations are that the entertainment was feminist and objectifying women, take a long hard look in the mirror. Your views couldn’t be more antiquated if they tried. Awesome party, thank you, I had a ball.

Terrific that this is generating such debate. But why is this a bad idea? Well, to paraphrase Justin Trudeau, “it’s 2016”.

Not sure what is more outrageous, the strippers or the length of this article. The same point could have been made in 25 words or less.

I’d love to know how many (and which) posts in this thread originate at M&C Saatchi IP addresses.

nice way to reinforce advertising is full of pompus scumbags! Outrage machine? Lets share these vids and pics and see how it aligns with community standards

Get over yourselves. The party was awesome. Let’s take a moment to thank some serious industry heavy hitters for putting on an awesome celebration of the agency’s history enjoyed by clients and agency. There is no greater shame than to own bullshit journalism (term used loosely in the case of Mumbrella). Women (like me) have no issue respecting the talents of burlesque dancers. There are so many other important issues to focus on. To the mumbrella team. Get off your laptops. Book a trip to Syria and help the 7 million displaced refugees, a point recognised in the company meeting as a fact of the world we live in. Happy Australia Day although I dare say that your article is very un Australian.

That Escalated Quickly!

Stay Classy Australia

Love
Ron

What an absolute embarrassment. I am all for burlesque dancing as an art and I take pole dancing classes for fun, but where were the men up on stage with bags on their head in lingerie? That’s the part that gets me, where they thought it was a good idea to cover up these women’s faces. I’m actually speechless.

Let’s hope Mumbrella don’t find out about that other large Sydney agency that had a burlesque performance at its Xmas Party…

Not surprisingly, a lot of knee jerk reaction and PC lip service here, unfortunately not much in the way of informed debate, or comment allied to deep thinking.

Young Men and/ or Women are visually stimulating , appealing and entertaining, when showing as much of their beautiful physical attributes as is possible and tasteful.

To site 2016 as a time for change regarding appropriateness of festive performance and physical culture, is a joke when one considers the long journey and the struggle against old draconian laws regarding what should be appropriate exposure for women, in sport , in fashion, on stage and in motion pictures.
It is not so long ago that women were being arrested for wearing “neck to knees” one piece bathing suits on the beach, and an even shorter distance to protests aimed at bikinis, mini skirts and hot pants .

Now that we have finally achieved the high cut bathing suit, topless sun bathing,
and graphic sex scenes in films, where a couple in a double bed was once considered too risque, we suddenly find a class of people, who are quoting 2016 as being the wrong time for “nearly naked” women to jump dancing out of a gigantic fake cake.

Fagin in the musical Oliver [quote] “Reviewing the situation” ……”I think I’d better think it out again” [unquote]

Clearly you guys have learned that stirring the sexism honey pot is effective for generating clicks, so well done on hanging one of the most newsworthy agencies in Australia out to dry to promote yourselves.

There are issues of sexism in out industry, absolutely. But the fact that you’ve used this event for clickbait is really poor form in my opinion. Even one of the burlesque performers called you out on not mentioning the half naked male performers, so your objectification angle falls flat. She even had to explain the bag on head metaphor to you, which I thought said a lot.

As far as I am concerned, you’re in no position to claim moral high ground and I for one won’t be having a thing to do with your publication anymore. I don’t work at M&C but I know many who do. The first I saw of the burlesque act was from my female friends who were instagramming them like mad.

Something tells me this will be the last big agency invite you get. Good job. We are not accountants. We have big, hedonistic parties. We work horrific hours. We drink too much. We do drugs. We swear. We offend people. That’s why we don’t usually invite humourless gits like you when we blow off steam. These are our nights. We earned them. And unless someone broke a law or complained at the event, we should be allowed to enjoy them.

A lot of people are outraged at MC Saatchi’s behaviour. Understandably so. Not just that organisation, but seeing it as another example of the industry at large.

But the question I would ask everyone to consider before getting very angry:

Is this article an accurate portrayal of what took place? If so – then the outrage is warranted.

But a lot of women who were there, many who are very wary of the gender issue – and are the first to blow the whistle – are saying the party wasn’t like this. They feel the article is not an accurate portrayal. Where’s the smoke, there’s fire. But many who were there are saying, ‘there’s no smoke here.’

There were half naked bodies everywhere. Men. Women. Transgender. No performance stood out more than the next.

One could claim ‘the cake was the crowning moment, the male waiters were just token, so it doesn’t balance out.’ Ok. Fair point. But let’s reverse it.

Had the waiters all been half naked women, and a single topless man burst out of the cake, the narrative could be spun: ‘while it’s true one half-naked man came out of the cake, it only one performance, where as there were dozens of female waiters. And they were around the whole night, proving again the ad industry’s gender problem. Why not have the girl come out of a cake? Why not have the men serving people half naked? It’s a clear demonstration of a power structure; deliberate in its nature. Half Naked men get to perform, giving them still some form of power. Half naked women however, have no performance skills, have no power, they are only good enough to serve.’

That could easily be the narrative if the party organisers switched the roles. You really can spin the narrative any way you want. If they were all men? ‘A misogynistic display that said women have no performance skills; a metaphor for the lack of women in the creative department.’

The bigger issue is real. The Leo Burnett thing was awful, but more importantly, a real life example of what the inequality of data shows.

But in the case, from what a lot of people who were there have said, and people of all genders who keep an eye out for misbehaviour, there’s no smoke here. In context, it wasn’t like this.’

I just ask everyone asks the question ‘what really happened’ rather than reacting like Sarah Palin’s followers who jump at every inaccurate accusation she throws out.

This has set the Australian advertising industry back 20 years! Regardless if M&C’s women staff support the fun and frivolity of last night, (and that was only three of them on this blog), does not make it ok. Those on the outside that aspire to work at M&C may not so now. I recall complaining about this sort of entertainment 20 years ago and clearly we have not progressed any further, maybe it is time to leave!

Bravo Mumbrella for giving your unbiased point of view once again, someone has to do it!

This is the type of article that promotes sexism.

I’m still amazed that clients hand over money to ad agencies. The agencies are mostly obsessed with winning awards on the clients’ dime. The industry is one big circle jerk. In the meantime, the brands that have grown to dominate everyday awareness do so through good user experience and product design, not through marketing campaigns that service the agency rather than the brand.

Mum&DadBrella.

There, now you’re gender balanced.

You great big PC yawn.

M&C need to call in the good folk at Leo Burnett for some advice on damage control..

Bang PR earning their money today. http://smh.com.au/small-busine.....mbzyp.html

I agree that M&C should have at least done some ‘predictive planning’ while deciding what to showcase at their party, especially given the industry climate and the massive spotlight they created for themselves, but I for one do not look forward to the future climate in which everyone is so goddam afraid to do anything lest the fun police and the PC army descend upon them. This industry has already stamped out any respect for creatives themselves, so let’s all head toward our Orwellian future together.

Thanks for posting this Mumbrella. It’s a very legitimate post about “the unconscious bias of a self-perpetuating patriarchy in the industry.” I’d love to know what the clients thought of it all?
Putting these issues aside for a moment it’s also deeply embarrassing that this is how the agency choose to celebrate 21 years. I’ve been to a number of M&C Saatchi parties in the past that were just like this. M&C claims to be a “leading creative agency” it’s sad that the agency couldn’t find something more creative, cutting edge, and just plain interesting to celebrate 21 years.

How bloody humiliating for women who work at M&C. But of course there aren’t many of them in leadership or creative, so who cares, right? Revolting. Good job calling this out Mumbrella.

Yeah, the PC outrage machine…got women the vote, ended apartheid etc Next rhing you know theyll be trying to get women paid equally!

Some of the comments here are utterly deranged. It’s not edgy or ceeative to make a bodgy old robert palmer video

Thats two major agencies whose heads are firmly up their own saggy dull backsides

Fine go the way of the dinosaurs like u richly deserve

I’m not sure which is more depressing – the fact that this happened or the fact that people don’t see what the problem is.

Oh yes the fun police always stopping pigs being sexist! Grow up u f babies

What makes Briana stand out from the crowd however is her warm, friendly and approachable disposition both on and offstage. Briana believes that burlesque should be all about the tease whilst still maintaining a tasteful and classy approach that is non-offensive, light-hearted and fun.

Briana has worked with:
Merivale
AHL Hotels
Mastercard
Coca-Cola Amatil
Nova
The Collaborative
Henry Davis York
Bendon
ARN-IT
Tower Estate
Mercedes-Benz
Mr Tipply’s
MTV

It wouldn’t happen in London or New York – they don’t try so hard

Thanks for sticking up for your fee Esther

Oh dear. You really know Esther, right?

M&C that sounds like it was a great party. Remember to not invite the squares next time.

Asshats.

@same old same

Stop being a dick. Esther had the balls to put her name to a post. Who the fuck are you? Spineless twit.

I was there as a guest.I don’t work for the agency.I am what is called a supplier.Although in recent times M&C haven’t supplied much business but they invited me any way,
I just have to say I didn’t see this party like the Mumbrella guys did.
The burlesque performer took little more than her gloves off and was almost oldfashionedly demure.
Didn’t see the other the other controversial act but thought the trapeze artist over the dance floor was pretty amazing.
Apart from that and dear old Deni Hines it was just a nice agency party.
Remember thinking how sober and well behaved it was.
Danced a lot to a DJ I now know is apparently a big deal and went home at midnight,
Then woke up with a mild hangover to this shitstorm.
Just wondering if I was at the same party?

I think you all need more work to do.

Social Justice 1, 2, 3…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5s8rG9djOPw

The point of the article is spot on, it’s time to change.

If you don’t think our industry is sexist and shallow, you have your head up your arse.

Get the fuck out of our lives Mumbrella.

Any online debate ends with the word Nazi. There, it’s over?

Thank you so much Tim, for having the courage to post this article and not back down.

Bags covering sexualised women’s faces? It makes me feel sick. This is dehumanisation and objectification at its worst. How CAN this still be happening in 2016 and M&C Saatchi don’t even get get how wrong it is.

James you need to take a long hard look at your attitude toward women in your agency. Deep down do you really think they would of enjoyed watching that ? Really ?

I can’t wait for the M&C bucks party

It’s true, this would all be laughed off the stage and out of business in most other countries…

How about a story on how hard agencies make it on women coming back from maternity leave? Most I know have come back to being made redundant or incredibly difficult negotiations on hours etc. In fact, I can’t remember a woman I’ve worked alongside having a smooth transition to work after having a baby. I’ve worked in other industries where it’s nothing like what it’s like in advertising. Bigger issue for women in advertising than a burlesque show. Note. I’m a bloke. Hasn’t happened to me obviously but I do watch what happens around me. Some of the blokes I have worked with have muttered things to the effect of ‘that’s how it is’ etc.

Please!! This is just so downright silly.

The fact is M&C put on a show.

And from all reports a bloody good one.

I’m sure people who were there will be talking about it now, and tomorrow and probably next year.

Since when has it been a crime to have a good time.

To be outraged, to be confronted, to be made just a little bit uncomfortable.

This is a joke.

And to all the dimwits who are affronted – I don’t want to meet you.

How can the chairman of the Communications Council, the body that speaks for the communications industry, have 0 senior women in his creative department? Let alone in any kind of creative leadership position.

h thats right, your newly minted ECD Andy Dilallo, was hired straight out of that other home of gender diversity – Leo Burnett’s.
Where he didn’t hire a single women in his creative department in 8 years.

hey i take issue to your mad men reference.

at least in mad men they would at least be hypocritical enough to do it on a junket behind closeed doors rather than parade it in work time

Has this anything to do with Mumbrella bringing out Cindy Gallop for the 360 conference. Building up
the outrage?

Wow. I left the Australian Advertising Industry over 20 years ago and it seems like nothing has changed. Now as a client leading one of the world’s largest global brands (for which 85% of the purchases are made by women) I just can’t believe this still happens. Please Australian Advertising Industry don’t be on the wrong side of history. Grow up guys. You should do better. You can do better. #changetheratio.

Mumbrella

There is a difference between stripping and burlesque. One is a cheap act for titilation… The other is an artform

Kinda like the difference between what you do…and actual journalism

‘Please explain’ I’m afraid you have some explaining to do on your comments 138 and 139. You are simply incorrect. I am a creative director at M&C and last time I checked, very much a woman. But I have only been there for a relatively short time because I was previously at Leo Burnett – a job that Andy DiLallo was thrilled to offer me based on my actual abilities. That was almost 6 years ago. Andy (and Jaimes for that matter) are nothing but decent, professional and respectful. And what I makes me uncomfortable is the suggestion that they’re not. I realize that this is a sensationalist article and the comment threads are just trying to encite outrage. But when you call out individuals and blatantly lie or are too lazy to do your research then you should be the one to hang your head in shame. Of course I was at the party and just like MANY of the other comments here, I am wondering if it was the same one everyone is talking about. It seems very strange that no other reports from any other industry news provider has taken this angle when they covered it yesterday. They were all there as well.

Is burlesque an art form? Yes.

Can a burlesque dancer wearing a bag over her head as an expression of consumerism gone bad be defended as art? Yes.

Can it also be seen as hypocritical when sponsored by an ad agency that, with its peers, often resorts to the sexualisation of women to shift product? Yes.

Does the ad industry have a poor reputation for empowering women and providing equal opportunity? Yes.

Should an agency carefully consider how it behaves publicly, celebrating or otherwise? Yes.

Should executive directors consider the broader context of the inequality and sexualisation of women when planning entertainment? Yes.

Do creative agencies have a right to push the boundaries when hosting their own party? Yes.

Is that right more important than women’s rights? No.

Esther Clerihan always has an opinion.I don’t always agree but most times they are based on common sense and her name is attached to that opinion for all to see.
Unfortunately due to the attack mentality that exists these days I can’t because of the position I hold.
I am not allowed to offer my personal opinion because I am obliged to have that of the organisation I work for.
I get it,but it doesn’t make me feel good about myself.
So be grateful for the Esthers who are independent and liberated enough to speak up.

I work at M&C. The creative leads at LIDA are both women.
Know your facts before you tout nonsense.

I have always wondered why you’re called “Mum”brella. Such a bore.
Maybe don’t accept invites to parties if you’re going to be so critical and rude to the hosts. There was as there is nothing ever wrong with this style of entertainment. Grow up Mum.

Has the agency been fired by any of its clients as a result of this party? No? Surely if it was as horrific as you say, the empowered female clients in the room would have been sufficiently affronted, walked out and penned an email to Jaimes the next morning. Please update us Tim.

Grant Booker, I don’t want to meet you either. Sorry, but if you’re going to be in my creative department I’d want someone who had a desire to move the industry forward. Your attitude won’t.

Are the M&C stooges getting paid overtime for their overdrive response rate?

There seem to be a lot of comments on this from a lot of people who didn’t attend this party.

I’m a woman, client side so not from M&C Saatchi, and I had a great time. It’s pretty easy for everyone to get on their high-horse when all they have as proof is a shaky 30 second video and journos with an agenda.

What I can’t understand is how no one has pointed out the hypocrisy of a male team of journos telling women that should be offended by a burlesque dancer. No thanks boys, I don’t need someone to do the talking for me.

Oh really? A girl out of cake is well known cultural cliche and to pillar a great agency and one of the most decent leadership teams is pathetic.
Shame on you Mumbrella

So this is what my ATM fees are paying for?

The whole sexism debate aside, this just screams rich people b.s.

And you’re the people paid to advertise to a giant diverse country of Australia?

What a joke.

Dear ‘I work at M&C’.
I know my facts and am not ‘touting nonsense’.

The creative leads at LIDA are indeed both women….they were moved sideways from M&C in late 2015 just as Andy D arrived….funny that.
I was talking M&C proper- where all the men actually WANT and DO work.
Most men wouldn’t be caught dead in a CRM agency.

Good for you Sharon – glad to hear things are moving in the right direction and when M&C have 50% women in their departments I will no longer need to spend my time commenting on blogs like this..

PS: No doubt you have been ‘there’ for a relatively short time because not hiring a couple of woman after the Leo Burnett iincident would have been bad PR

Dear M&C, women are 50% of the population and 80% of your target audience. There are plenty of talented, hard working, creative women in this country for you to hire if you want to find them.

Bang on Wasn’t There Can’t Judge. A clickbait piece followed by a clickbait piece in the SMH using a tweet from Cindy Gallop as the sole source of the”outrage”. Followed this morning by another waffling commentary article in the SMH. Great promotion for Cindy Gallop’s appearance at Mumbrella360 in June.

The contortions and wordgames employed to excuse this lame shit is pathetic. Grow up M&C or FO

These advertising guys are certainly being creative in calling themselves “creative”.

Next weeks headline:
Cocaine and strippers used at advertising party! Cue the outrage.

@50% Women for creative depts

As a female creative I feel the need to say this to you – if you’re not talented enough to be hired in a creative department and think the industry needs a quota, I suggest you may not be in the right industry.

Creative isn’t for everyone. It’s not a talent everyone has. Yes, everyone can sing. Everyone can draw. Everyone can ‘come up with an ad’. But doing it well is what holds most people back from getting into the creative department.

In most agencies, the suits, planners and producers collaborate with creative. Add in the client and there are usually 3 women for every bloke on any given job.

Please take your personal issues elsewhere, gender isn’t an issue.

Guess what ad agencies…it is 2016 and you’re not exempt from the standards that other companies adhere to in terms of appropriate conduct. People taking their clothes off at a work function, not matter how ‘artsy’ or ‘classy’ is not ok. And stripping down to bondage gear with a bag over your head is artsy and classy?? Really?!
It”s not really surprising that women who work for this agency say that it is ok, because this is just the tip of the iceberg. If this agency is typical of most ad agencies, they are subjected to sexist remarks and behaviours, boys club attitudes and c bombs on a regular basis.
If only mumbrella could be a fly on the wall of daily agency life. There are some agencies that would go out of business if their clients knew what went on behind closed doors.
No one speaks out because it’s a hard industry and a small industry – people fear for their careers.
So, well done Mumbrella for giving a voice to those who feel they have to continue on silently.

I don’t have any personal issues but thank you for your concern.

Gender balance in the creative dept IS an issue. Look around you, count the actual number of women with any power or influence in your creative department.

Agencies cleverly fill their ranks with junior to mid weight women, some of them sadly as the token female team, or worse for pure eye candy.
as Darren Woolley put it so well……

“marketers only usually see the account management team, which is cleverly stacked with women. And when the creative department is added into the meeting, the whole agency looks balanced.”

This is not about creating a ‘quota’. This is about finding a way to shift the unconscious bias …..somehow. It simply does not make any sense that only 3% of senior creatives are women.How is that?

If you had any emotional intelligence, you would understand that the issues being discussed here are much bigger than a strip show or even gender balance in the workplace. There is a wider issue of attitudes toward women that leads to emotional and physical and domestic abuse and believe it or not it starts with attitudes toward women in the work place. That is really what all the fuss is about.

How do you think woman got the right to vote? Someone has to have the balls to speak out about there things. Or don’t you want to have the right to vote?

Oh and PS: Thanks for the lesson in the fine art of online patronisation.
I can sing, dance, draw and write award winning campaigns. I have heaps of global awards and job offers thank you.

The signs of massive astroturfing are obvious.
First, why does everyone defending M&C keep going on about Deni Hines and Norman Jay? Not relevant but a good distraction. Sounds like somebody’s circulated some talking points.
Even bigger sign – this repetition of the phrase “slow news day” and “clickbait”.
Nobody ever complains about a slow news day unless they’re unhappy about being in the news.
Think about it: how weird would it be to read a long article, look at 100 comments and having invested that time decide the right response is “slow news day”? Only someone from the agency…
Check the IP addresses. They won’t be silly enough to post it from the agency server. But I bet they’re doing it from their phones. And given they’re a big client, I bet all the IP addresses will be from Optus 4G…
Stop the asroturfing guys – it’s getting embarrassing.

I’m cool with it.

A lot of the comments that are obviously coming from M&C are hurt because they feel they aren’t being judged by their intentions.

The smart thing, even at this late stage, would be for them to put their hands up and accept they got the look wrong and talk about what they’re going to do in the future to make the industry a more diverse place.

There are a lot of sound people at the agency. But while they insist they can’t see what was wrong with what happened, they just can’t help but look like dinosaurs.

I’m cool with it.

I see no problems with this.

I jumped out of a cake last week, it was empowering.
Don’t ever change M&C Saatchi, respect.

What’s wrong with being sexy?

An excellent apology and admission of mistake by M&C. It makes all of those defending their actions (especially Ester I’m afraid) look backwards and compromised.

Let’s move forwards as an industry and all of us learn something from this.

Well done Munbrella for flushing this out.

Gotta love the comments re ‘wasn’t there’ right under a video and pics – we get the context too u idiot nongs

Hi Popeye.So the people who work for M&C and love the place and were actually at the party are supposed to cop all the criticism from mostly anonymous contributors who weren’t at the party,while standing back and remaining silent.
That really is very unfair.

Anyone who sees no problem with it needs their eyes checked,

Also pls spare us the wankers from m&c who think this is how creatives should behave. Its not rock…its old hat u tossers. 80s cheese and not funny kitsch- unless u wanna dsnce in ur undies with a bag on ur head. Much funnier

Thanks Dave but I have had a lot of support off this thread from people with surnames who all thanked me for representing their perspective. Most were there, a few weren’t but they supported my opinion. (I guess I need to spell out to you that many were women).

I also think it’s great MC Saatchi have apologised because when offence is felt then that’s the right thing to do, and they did it very quickly and well. I still stand by my informed eye witness view that this was not sexist. But if all the people who weren’t there have a problem, then there’s a problem. But it’s a different sort of thing, along the lines of mob outrage. Have a nice day. EC.

I think Gloria Steinem was being ironic, her being a feminist and all that.

i respect mumbrella for writing whatever it wants to write despite being a guest. but it’s just unfair journalism to take out a slice of an event and portray it to be the tone of the evening – and worse, a sign of everything that’s wrong with the whole industry.

is gender balance an issue? absolutely. is it a bit backward and not very creative for /anyone/ to come out of a big cake in 2016? sure! but the burlesque bit is pretty common these days, and if anything i reckon – and the performers themselves seem to agree above – that it’s a sign of more empowered days. (i’m sure their hourly rate beats that of most of us)

and one more thing, can we all please chill about the friggin’ bags on heads? that was for a few seconds after minutes of faces out – and btw looking pretty fierce. their performance simply cannot be reduced to that (edgy) moment.

even if they had their faces covered for the whole thing (and let’s also pretend it was a specific request from the agency, haha), what would that even mean?? it should mean different things to different people because it’s art. but for those who weren’t there, sorry, you can’t be the judge based on what mumbrella wrote.

I’m the wife of a creative at M&C and I’m appalled that this went on, not only do my children miss out on having their dad put them to bed most nights but having a husband go to work functions where there are women coming out of cakes and women with bags on their heads in G’s just makes me unprepared, and uneasy. This is not a bachelor party it’s a work place. Start caring about your staff, this doesn’t just affect women in the workplace it effects those on the outside too. I don’t want to put up with this crap, it is degrading and misogynistic and not people I want my husband associated with especially when so many of you already have a bad reputation for cheating on your wives.

PS: No doubt you have been ‘there’ for a relatively short time because not hiring a couple of woman after the Leo Burnett iincident would have been bad PR?

Now THAT truly is offensive. Even when women have legitimate jobs in creative, you are so sexist that you dare to suggest it must have been a pr exercise. You are an absolutely disgusting coward. At least the people who can actually back up their comments with facts have put their names to this ridiculous episode.

I’d hate to read the article on the day you accidentally walk into the art gallery of NSW, or any decent art gallery for that matter.

Most of us in advertising have probably studied life drawing as part of our curriculum. When we had female models instead of male models, nobody placarded the building in outrage about ‘objectification’.

Objectification is really about the viewers relationship to the material rather than the material itself.

May explain why other trade press declined to see it as an issue.

Puritanism is still alive and well it seems.

The very word ‘objectification’ defines the viewers relationship to an object rather than the object itself.

Let me explain that. It’s you that chooses to see it as objectification, not the fact it happened.

If you choose to see offence where it obviously wasn’t meant, then you should take a good look at yourself and your own values.

Everything the hippies fought for in the 60s is going down the toilet. Not sure I want to live in this overly offended world anymore.

It’s as boring as a burlesque show.

@50% women for creative departments.

It’s 2016. If you want to start an all female agency, go for it. You can hire only female staff. Except the gay guy that’s cute to look at, has mad sex stories that are oh so funny and will be stuck on reception for the rest of his days.

You can do it. Just don’t expect the majority of agencies, started by hard working blokes who look for similar people to hire someone based purely on their sex.

That is sheer stupidity.

We have a problem in this country where 1 in 3 women are sexually harassed in the workplace. We have a sexism problem in advertising that is evident in creative where women are pretty much scarce and seniors are the male majority. Until these issues are looked at and it changes, only then we can start having art strippers at work parties.

Shame on you, Mumbrella.

I normally love reading your articles, but sadly on this (very rare) occasion, you’ve missed the mark.

This was simply a party for over 600 clients, staff and their guests, featuring both male and female entertainers. You, and the Campaign Brief have chosen to take issue with this. Easy conversational fodder, with a click-baitable headline and words designed to generate commentary.

“by having a woman jump out of a cake and perform a striptease” – no, last time I checked burlesque dancers do exactly that, dance.

That is all.

Well said.
Your insight further highlights how wrong the whole thing is.

“M&C Saatchi apologises for birthday party burlesque performance”

Yeah you were right – no one had a problem with a semi naked woman jumping from a cake, striping out of a sexy business suit and putting a bag on her head-

Thats why they made a public apology

Well said @Wife and kids. This was a work function. Staff attendance was compulsory. A burlesque act was always going to offend some people. Poor judgement shown by management. Thank you Mumbrella.

What is happening to Australia?
The neo-Puritan click-bait outrage over anything that has sexuality in it is truly depressing.
(As are most of the gutless anonymous comments on this thread.)
Ugh.
We are revealing ourselves to be such an extraordinarily socially conservative population. A reactionary moment in the culture, from this, to mobile drug tests, to the Gayle “assault”, to hiding boat people on islands, to letting them drown at sea.
Looking forward to the cultural tide turning…

Burlesque is ok.

The environment in which it was performed is not.

Everyone on here now recognises it.

They’ve apologised and said they’ve learnt a lesson.

I hope others have to.

We need to move on.

What hapoened? Some of us realised portraying our mothers sisters daughters friends etc as objects while they die from domestic violence and get paid less is unacceptable

grow up u fool

@CAN not change

Is your issue with burlesque as an art form?

Or the fact it was performed at a work function?

Stop being so sensationalist.

It’s an important issue. Be clear, not provocative.

What a load a BS. Get over yourself. I am so sick of this sort of outrage and censorship by conservatives. Stop being so offended by pretty girls dancing to over 18+ adults. Maybe you should be more concerned with young underage girls being sexualised in magazines and on the catwalk. For goodness sake. There other more important things to worry about.

moving on never solved anything

Heres an idea, stop denying the culture and trying to sweep it off. If Leos or M&C had a clue they’d lead the change instead of sending idiots to excuse it

Probably the saddest part of all thus is neither have acknowledged the culture is still fucked

What Adnews said.

@CAN not change

They’ve acknowledged that they made a mistake. They’ve said they are committed to continue championing the cause. Time will tell.

What have you personally done to change the ‘fucked culture’ you seem so passionate about?

We’d love to hear some actual examples, not spineless anonymous comments from you. Talk is cheap.

If the number of comments are anything to go by M&C have succeeded in generating a huge amount of PR. Isn’t there a age old saying that there no such thing as bad press?

I’d like to know how many people work at Mumbrella and how many of them are women.

At least M&C don’t have to worry about inviting you next year.

Mumbrella you suck.

most of what i see defending the event is that it was “art” and having ooked at the info about the bag ladies, i can certainly see and appreciate the intent and i imagine its a very interesting well produced act.

My only issue is that….It, along with burlesque etc, and probably should not be delivered “out of context” in front of a room made up mainly of misogynists, and outdated concepts, for an industry known for its backward views on women and equality.

Media piss ups are not the location for art.

This industry……

…Is terrible at its own image management. For all the talk it never walks the walk.

Innovative and modern my…a**. Stuck decades behind the rest of Australian business. How embarrasing.

hah i have a business with a woman, work with many from all creative fields as dir, writers etc worked with girls schools to help get them into creative industries – and never seen a single one as a slab of meat

What have u done big mouth?

So many men and the girls who are desperate to be liked by them, justifying their terrible views and decrying the need to be ‘politically correct’ aka demonstrating sensitivity to people who’ve spent generations experiencing discrimination and harassment.

Here’s what “I’m not going to be politically correct” means. It means “I’d like to be racist and sexist like we used to be and I don’t want to suffer any consequences for it”.

Too bad. As the headline says, it’s 2016. Get it, or get out.

@Ricki

So, 2016 is, in your opinion, like some great dividing line between the new age and future of enlightenment, and the ignorant past is it?

Sorry, but your chiaroscuro view that black and white delineate the order of things is, like the comment “get it or get out,” rather draconian.

For instance, what does “racist and sexist like we used to be ” mean? many people are racist and sexist today and some will always be so.

If you have accepted PC as the new religion of your life, then good luck with that, but so long as there is a mountain of difference between racial and racist, sexual and sexist, age and ageist, then I will opt for political opinion and discussion over political correctness every time.

@Richard Moss

Oh to have the unflinching self-belief of a mediocre white man.

1. Good on you mumbrella.
2. A girl jumping out of a cake to perform a striptease would have been inappropriate in 1995.
3. A burlesque show parodying the power of consumerism is a bit stupid as entertainment at an advertising agency function.
4. @Anonymous #21 it’s not a good look if you speak “as an employee” and demonstrate poor grammar skills.

The modern day ‘extreme-PC’ shares many traits with the radical right of yesterday.

Dismissing women, who did not have a problem with the episode in question, as ‘desperate to be liked by men’ or ‘not wanting to stand out because their career depends on it (ie ‘they don’t really feel this way, they actually side with my opinion but professional preservation is affecting their true opinion’) ; the one broad brush stroke tactic if you will ; is commonly used by Sarah Palin supporters and the right radical of yesteryear.

The modern day ‘extreme-PC’ says he or she is open minded, but bursts a blood vessel when learning there is a different view.

Lumping all the individuals of a particular group together, and saying ‘oh they’re just saying this because they’re all desperate for approval’ is disingenuous and offensive to any individual of that group. And if the brush stroking came from the mind of a man, I would argue possibly it’s sexist; marginalising the opinions of a group of women by dismissing them en masse as ‘not worthy’ while questioning the integrity of their beliefs.

Is it possible a woman who was at the party, and did not have an issue with it, yet is not desperate for the attention of men? That her opinion is her opinion? And it is different to yours or mine?

I personally think the entire event was tone deaf. I can see how people would be offended. I am disturbed how such a topic brings out anonymous misogynists who use the comments underneath as a platform to shout out their pseudo political science. I was not at M&C Saatchi’s ‘cake party’, but if I had been, I don’t think I would have been offended, but I certainly would have been cringing, uncomfortable and thinking ‘this does not pass the eyeball test for acceptable professional behaviour.’ I would not have enjoyed it, that’s for sure.

But if someone of the opposite sex turned to me, and said ‘have a chill pill, it’s just a bit of fun, I’m not offended’, I certainly would not dismiss her as ‘being desperate for approval’ and think that he words are dishonest to her true meaning; that deep down agrees with me; she’s just a pawn in the entire misogynistic system.’

The modern day extreme-PC gets so worked up into such a furore, they often end up taking a course of action that they live to fight passionately against.

This is the kind of crappy ‘everything is an outrage’ article I’d expect to read on Pedestrian . tv

LOVE IT….

AGREE:
stop denying the culture and trying to sweep it off. If Leos or M&C had a clue they’d lead the change instead of sending idiots to excuse it
Probably the saddest part of all thus is neither have acknowledged the culture is still fucked

Any of you see the pic doing the rounds on the internet of the Mumbrella journalist smiling from ear to ear during the drag queen on the ribbon?
Priceless…

wouldn’t make a shred of difference either way Tom.

grow up.

They haven’t done anything illegal. They haven’t broken any laws. A company, like it or not, sets their own values. And as long as they’re not hurting anybody, they’re free to do that.

Just like you’re free to use them or not use them.

It’s a free world.

I’m not advocating what they’ve done, I’m just saying ‘stop your bloody whinging’, because the truth of the matter is – they can do whatever they damn well please; so long as they’re not breaking the law.

Grown ups aren’t anonymous cowards, Pugwash.

Can’t believe the amount of comments just hating on women. Who are you to shame these women for profiting off their own attractiveness and dancing ability?

Would you prefer that the burlesque industry perish?